‘Cubana Chief Priest no small’, says socialite after appearing in court

Businessman and socialite Pascal Okechukwu, known as Cubana Chief Priest, has spoken out following the fulfillment of his N10 million bail condition with two sureties in like sum.

Okechukwu broke his silence in an Instagram post, expressing gratitude for the support and affirming his stature with the statement, "Seeing all your messages and love. I’m so humbled. Now it’s confirmed CP (Cubana Priest) is not small. Money na water (sic)."

The Federal High Court in Lagos State granted him bail after he pleaded not guilty to charges of tampering and abusing the naira during his trial.

Okechukwu was arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on three counts related to the abuse of the nation’s currency, specifically by spraying and tampering with N500 denomination notes at a social event, contrary to the Central Bank Act of 2007.

The charges detail incidents where he allegedly sprayed the naira during social gatherings, including one at Eko Hotel on February 13, 2024, and another during a social event in January 2024 in Lagos.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Okechukwu of tampering with funds in N500 notes issued by the CBN by spraying them for an extended period, constituting an offence under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.